also: べえごま · ばいごま
spinning top made from a shell
A traditional Japanese spinning top, originally made from a Babylon shell (バイ貝). Often used in playground games. The word is usually written in kana.
Children in the old days often played with shell spinning tops.
ベーゴマを回すにはコツがいる。
It takes a knack to spin a shell top.
Common katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
Alternate katakana spelling reflecting the べい reading.
Dialectal or older variant reading; rarely used in modern standard Japanese.
Dialectal or older variant reading; rarely used in modern standard Japanese.
Rarely used kanji form; the word is usually written in kana.
From 貝 (かい, shell) + 独楽 (こま, spinning top), with the reading べい from バイ貝 (Babylon shell). The exact derivation of the reading is uncertain.